Penthouse On The Park

SPOLETO CENTRAL: With its shops, bars and the largest selection of fantastic restaurants, all offering a diversity of dishes from local black truffles to pastas and paper thin, bubbly, crispy crust, piping hot pizzas, Spoleto is not a touristy place and, therefore, prices are good, competitive local prices. The local wines eg Trebbiano, Grecchetto, Montefalco, Orvieto... are to die for. You will hardly notice the price of it on your bill. You can choose from amazing shoe, bag and clothes shops, any shape or size, designer label or otherwise. And, there are churches and monuments on street corners, under arches, through tunnelled alleyways, peppered hither and thither, as you meander along the picturesque cobbled lanes, every angle, a work of art. Fatal to take your camera out. You will obsessively do nothing but take photos ! The local bars are filled with friendly locals and the owners will warmly welcome you. The passeggiata is where everyone meets and is joyful, especially over aperitivi.

BUS, TRAIN OR CAR : From Spoleto train station, 30 mins walk, or a short bus ride (bus stops directly across the road), it is possible to get to practically anywhere in Italy eg 1 hr 20 mins to Rome, 4/5 hours to Venice and Naples, 30 mins to Perugia.... An easy walk along a flat boulevard road, stuffed with shops and bars ! From the nearest bus stop, a 5 mins walk, you can catch a bus to Norcia, which will take you on a sensationally beautiful drive along the Valnerina, for about 1 hr 45 mins, passing through mountain scenery, climbing higher and higher. Or, by car, you can continue further to the heart-stoppingly, amazing Gran Piano and see the tiny hick town of Castellucio peeking through swirling mists. On a great plane, surrounded by mountains, the world spilling beneath you, your heart will miss a beat. In Castellucio, you can dine on the finest lentils and white truffles. Nearer to home, by car, it is easy to visit Todi, Gubbio, Orvieto, Perugia, Spello and Assisi, all within a 45 mins radius.

WALKING, HIKING OR BIKING: Walk to the top of Spoleto, passing the famous Duomo, and you reach Spoleto's finest 2 monuments, the Rocca and Il Ponte. Takes about 10 mins. Then, you can do a circular walk around the Rocca, which is spectacularly beautiful, as you see Spoleto sprawling below you. Or, you can take the escalator from the bottom to the top of Spoleto. Then, pausing at the bar at the top for a prosecco, you can continue across the famous and stunning looking, arched bridge, directly into the mountains, and, either do another circular walk, passing across valleys, mountains and dales, ending up in Piazza Garibaldi, at the bottom of Spoleto, or, continue up through the Sacred Mountains to Monteluco. Or, you can take the bus from the bottom to the top, which takes about 10 minutes. If you are a cyclist, you can hire bikes locally and cycle along the river bank, all the way to Assisi, passing Campello and Trevi along the way.